Musgrave Northern Ireland has announced a £23 million store investment programme for 2026 across its SuperValu, Centra and Mace network, alongside the debut of a high‑profile concept store in Newcastle, Centra The Barbican.

The Barbican, a well‑known convenience store trading since the 1980s, has transitioned to the Centra brand following a £1.4 million refurbishment, marking a fresh era for a shop that has served the local community for more than four decades. Trevor Magill, Managing Director at Musgrave NI, said: "This £1.4 million investment marks an exciting new chapter for The Barbican – bringing together SuperValu's strong food heritage and Centra's modern convenience offer under one roof and reflects our commitment to offering local shoppers great food, modern convenience and real value for money."

The revamped site has been designed to create a smoother customer journey, adding an expanded fresh food and deli offer, quality coffee and food‑to‑go, plus a standout premium alcohol selection. More than 400 new lines have been introduced, including a dedicated 'local' section. A central feature is the Dinner Made Easy zone, offering a wider choice of freshly prepared options, quality meat, sides and meal solutions. Addressing the broader programme, Mr Magill added: "At Musgrave, we are ambitiously focused on growing our store network and continuing to innovate to provide our shoppers with what matters to them – not just excellent customer service and value for money but an extensive range of quality products with an emphasis on local alongside new technologies for a seamless shopping experience. We look forward to continuing to develop our SuperValu, Centra and Mace stores in 2026 and beyond."

The investment announcement follows a series of recent developments, including the opening of Centra Irvinestown Road in Enniskillen after a £650k investment, with Centra Ballybogey and Centra Markethill also joining the estate.

It comes on the heels of Musgrave's annual retailer conference and Store of the Year Awards at the Slieve Donard Hotel in Newcastle. Overall brand winners included Woods' SuperValu Fruitfield, Curry's Centra Curr Road, McPolin's Centra Annaclone, Gracey's Mace Gasworks and Nugent's Mace Mount Alverno Belfast.

On the night, Musgrave also revealed annual charity fundraising totals of £253,000 for Action Cancer through SuperValu and Centra stores, while Mace outlets raised £52,000 for NI Chest Heart and Stroke.

Musgrave Northern Ireland supports more than 5,000 jobs, works with 250 local suppliers and continues to invest in local communities, as well as in sustainability and affordability initiatives.